How to Spend the Holidays in Dallas

Make this Big D Holiday season merry and bright with these festive events.

Posted on Nov 5, 2018

Make it a holiday getaway

Whether you're new to Dallas or a local looking for a staycation, the holidays are the perfect time to visit Dallas. Look out for special hotel deals in Dallas to save big and get the most out of your getaway to the city. Some offers include 15% off for stays through Jan. 5 at the Omni Hotel and a Christmas experience package deal at the Hilton Anatole.

See the lights

Go out and get a glimpse of some of the enchanting displays of holiday lights across the city. The Perot Museum will have special illuminated installations in the gems and minerals and dinosaur halls on Nov. 3 – Jan. 6. The Dallas Zoo will be lit by over a million lights during Dallas Zoo Lights on Nov. 16 – Jan. 6. Dallas City Hall will illuminate at the inaugural Deck the Plaza, where you can expect a 40-foot tree, holiday entertainment and a special visit from Santa. Klyde Warren Park is holding a holiday show and tree lighting on Dec. 1, and a another holiday lighting will follow with Reliant Lights Your Holidays at the AT&T Performing Arts Center.

Ring in 2019 watching the Dallas skyline light up with a 360-degree, panoramic firework show for the Reunion Tower New Year's Eve spectacular on Dec. 31.

Get in the holiday spirit

Take the perfect family holiday photo at the Dallas Arboretum during their annual Holiday at the Arboretum and see the, 12 Days of Christmas exhibit (Nov. 14 – Dec. 30). Wander gardens covered in more than 500,000 lights, 12 elaborately decorated Victorian gazebos and a stunning 30-foot-tall Christmas tree as the centerpiece.

Experience a Christmas wonderland at the Hilton Anatole (Nov. 23 – Dec. 23) by having breakfast with Santa or going to Peppermint Park, an outdoor attraction with activities for kids, train rides, holiday shows and more!

Attend one of the biggest holiday events of the season, the Dallas Holiday Parade, on Dec. 1. The parade will make its way down Commerce Street in Downtown Dallas at 10 a.m. with festive floats and marching bands for tens of thousands of onlookers.

Experience a holiday show

Whether you're a fan of ballet, the symphony, or the theater, there is a holiday show for everyone to enjoy. See a performance of the time-honored classic ballet, The Nutcracker, at the Winspear Opera House on Nov. 23 – Dec. 2.

Starting Nov. 23, kids can meet with Santa at NorthPark Center before Christmas to tell him all about what's on their wish lists, take pictures and enjoy a story time. There are tons of other attractions and events happening this holiday season at NorthPark for the whole family, see here for more information.